What value does belonging have in youth development? PDP Contributor & Chief Content Officer at Changing the Game Project, Reed Maltbie shares a personal story that outlines the critical importance of the environments we create and the tribes we belong...
Frenkie De Jong is one of Dutch Football’s brightest stars. PDP Lead Researcher James Vaughan examines a recent interview with De Jong and shares some brilliant research around knowledge and learning, helping coaches understand how to create a learning environment...
As a coach, it’s easy to overlook the sacrifices players and their parents make to pursue their love of sport. With support from Murray United Technical Director, Adam Carty, PDP Contributor, Lara Mossman shares an article on commitment and motivation...
Premature professionalism in youth sport is a growing problem. Environments created to replicate professional sport, ‘elite’ pathways at 8-years-old and coaches removing autonomy from the environment by exerting total control. In this article, PDP Editor, Dave Wright challenges the status...
How do you communicate with your players? In this article PDP Technical Advisor, Dan Wright shares some fascinating reflections and advice for coaches on how to effectively question and communicate with players to make sure they genuinely think about solutions...
Player Development Project Assistant Editor, Jon Hoggard, looks at some of the recent top stories in world football, through the lens of PDP values and philosophies. Abuse shows erosion of values You’d hope that the press headlines after a Chelsea...
PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.
Steve Kirby has over 15 years experience working in academy football in England. Formerly Lead Youth Development Phase Coach at MK Dons, Steve is now the U18 Assistant Coach at Leicester City FC. In this interview, PDP Editor, Dave Wright...
What place does chaos have in development? Co-founder of myfastestmile and top PDP contributor, Mark Upton shares a thought provoking article on the balance between chaos and order and how it might impact on the environments we create, referencing the...
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Balague, C. Torrents, R. Hristovski, K. Davids, and D. Araujo The Big Idea Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was a legendary Canadian poet, singer-songwriter, and novelist. The following lyrics are from his 1992 album The Future and the song “Anthem”: Ring the...
PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.
In this PDP Live Session, UEFA A licensed coach Dave Wright shares a practice which encourages players to play 1v1 and cope with pressure on the ball to develop confidence with individual possession.Dave takes us through the why behind the session, presenting the plan and some individual position specific challenges. The session emphasises the importance of ball retention, bravery and creativity in attack whilst encouraging defenders to use their body and secure possession.This physically demanding practice is great for multidirectional speed, mental resilience and can be adapted for players of different ages.
In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Lead Researcher, James Vaughan shares part four of the FC Barcelona series, developed after James’ 12 months living in Barcelona. In this discussion, PDP Editor Dave Wright hosts James in a conversation on the historical...
Social dynamics are a crucial part of any team environment. Integrating new players and ensuring they have a positive experience is a key component of coaching. In this article, new PDP Contributor & PhD Candidate at La Trobe University, Dianna...
In our very first PDP Live Session, UEFA A licensed coach, Dave Wright demonstrates a 4 v 4 + 4 possession and positional practice.Working with twelve U15 players, Dave demonstrates how coaches can deliver an opposed passing and possession practice with a number of technical aims. This practice provides high repetition of passing receiving skills under pressure, variety of decision-making and encourages players to take up positions in space so they can play forward early.Dave includes some individual challenges for central players and goalkeepers as well as working on quick transition. This session can be adapted from 9-15 players and distances adjusted to alter difficulty in or out of possession. Dave will talk through what he’s observing as the session unfolds and work with the players on taking risks, encourage players to decide when to keep possession or progress with the ball, work on different receiving shapes and how to break lines with forward passes.
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In this fascinating and in depth conversation, PDP Editor, Dave Wright hosts International Hockey Coach & Coach Developer at Oxford Brookes University, Danny Newcombe. Danny and Dave discuss a wide range of topics around skill acquisition, constraints based coaching, creating a learning environment, the coaching spectrum and more. This is a must watch interview with a true innovator ...
Dan Micciche has a reputation as an innovator and someone who encourages creativity in player development. Player Development Project, Editor Dave Wright was lucky enough to have 90 minutes with Dan to discuss his own story and pick his brains...
Building on the expert insight of University of Queensland’s Professor of Sport Psychology & Coaching Cliff Mallett, this update drills into the Key Characteristics of The Worlds Best Coaches. Like any decent update this post aims to provide a deeper user experience, particularly focusing on...
The 2018 World Cup displayed football and team cultures from around the world. In this article, Dr. John Alder of the English Institute of Sport follows up his article from Issue 17 of PDP Magazine with an insightful examination of...
Margaret J. Wheatley The Big Idea Margaret (Meg) Wheatley has been an organizational development speaker and international consultant since 1973. In this keynote conference address published in the Occupational Development Practitioner, she chides us for so willingly continuing to use 17th Century...
Join us for a video discussion with National Coach Education Manager from Football Federation Australia, Sean Douglas. Regular PDP host Dave Wright is joined by Lead Researcher, James Vaughan in a wide ranging discussion. We cover topics including: The value...
In this excellent interview, PDP Editor, Dave Wright speaks with Head Coach of Team Wellington, Jose Manuel Figueira. Jose discusses his player development philosophy based around some four key learning pillars and also talks about the transition from overseeing one of New Zealand’s top academies to now being placed in charge of Team Wellington, a team that won the domestic title in 2016.
PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.
Iceland’s development pathway has been the focus of debate following the tiny nation’s showing at Euro 2016. But underpinning all the investment is an intangible thread, which recently came under attack from one of the world’s best players: their mindset....
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Brisbane Roar FCThe question this week comes from Chris, via email: “How do I help young players with their confidence when they are showing signs of being apprehensive or nervous about getting more involved at training?” Your Turn: Ask PDP Anything Each...
How can parents and coaches help young players overcome a perfectionist mindset? Chief Content Officer at Changing the Game Project, Reed Maltbie shares a fantastic article around some of the modern challenges parents and coaches face with perfectionism on the...
The question this week comes from Elliott, via Twitter: “How do coaches structure sessions? I know it depends on the topic, but I’d love to hear more from a typical session?” Additional resources: Members Webinar: Fundamentals of Session Design...
PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.
What experience are you delivering as a coach and what legacy are you leaving for young people? PE Teacher and blogger, Sporticus reflects on his own practice and evolution as a coach, outlining the importance of creating environments for children...
Paul S. Glazier The Big Idea It’s GUT check time! We are all familiar with this cliché in sports performance: tests of gameness, courage, fortitude, stick-to-itiveness. But less familiar is another meaning of GUT. Beginning roughly in the late 1970s...
In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor Dave Wright hosts Birmingham City Assistant Academy Manager, Stuart English. Stuart has vast experience in player development having worked at Luton Town FC, Brentford FC and Birmingham City. In his role at BCFC, Stuart...
Coach and researcher, Ben Galloway shares a video about the importance of opposition in session design and of interactions between players in skill acquisition. In his video below, ‘Attuning to Others’, Ben outlines how football interactions emerge as a result...